Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

"Principal Theresa, I received an investigation mission from headquarters and would like to request a shuttle. Also... today's classes... Ah, I would also like to trouble the Principal to ask Miss Himeko for leave for me."

Early the next morning, Fu Hua arrived at the Principal's office, feeling a little shy as she requested to take leave to go out.

After all, as a naive first-year student, and the class monitor who was the center of attention, it was reasonable to feel embarrassed about taking leave, right?

At least Theresa believed it.

She didn't ask much, and simply waved her small hand in agreement, turning on the communicator to send a notice to the equipment department. At the same time, she said she would inform Himeko later. Then she looked up, and earnestly comforted her.

"Fu Hua, although you have only recently become a student at St. Freya Academy, you are now a Schicksal-certified A-rank Valkyrie. It's normal to receive missions assigned by superiors. You don't need to feel embarrassed. Himeko-sensei and I will understand."

Theresa walked in front of Fu Hua, stood on tiptoe, and patted her shoulder to show that she didn't need to worry about it. Then, she coughed, put her hands behind her back, and walked back to her desk with a dignified air. She sat down, revealing only half of her head.

"Also, Fu Hua, you are now a star that the other students admire! You're clearly the same age, but you are already far ahead. You need to pick yourself up and act like the role model you're supposed to be!"

Fu Hua was stunned when she heard this, and then her cheeks flushed red.

Half of it was an act, and the other half was a genuine feeling of shame—was it not appropriate to bully an honest person?

At this moment, Fu Hua and Lin Wei had achieved a spiritual resonance from last night.

"This... Thank you, Principal. Then I'll take my leave now."

She needed to get out of here quickly. She couldn't stand to stay a single second longer in this Principal's office, which was full of pure trust!

That damned Otto! Fu Hua made excuses for herself.

"Sigh, that child is still so naive. She's achieved such great things at such a young age. The pressure must be very great, right?" Looking at Fu Hua's hurried departure, Theresa sighed like an old woman. "I'll need to talk to Himeko later. When Fu Hua comes back, she should pay more attention to her. Drink less wine and do more serious things!"

Speaking of Himeko, all she knew all day long was drinking. She didn't take anything seriously. She didn't know how hard she was working every day!

The more Theresa thought about it, the angrier she became, so she simply stopped thinking about it, pulled open the drawer, took out a manga, and started her new day of slacking off.

On the other side, Fu Hua, who had walked out of the office, raised her hand to look at the time. Recalling the observations she had made of Kiana and her friends' life trajectories over the past month or so, she did some calculations, turned around, and walked in another direction.

The path from the dormitory to the teaching building passed through a large garden. Fu Hua walked straight there and, as expected, she saw Mei, with a helpless look on her face, pulling a listless Kiana toward the teaching building. Bronya, with a Homu-patterned school bag on her back, silently followed behind them. She could vaguely hear their voices.

"Kiana, it's almost one o'clock. If you don't hurry, we'll be late for class." She also knew that these words wouldn't work on Kiana, so Mei quickly added, "If you're late, Himeko-sensei will make you copy the textbook!"

The effect was perfect, as expected. Kiana shivered, realizing that something was wrong, and cried, "Oh no, oh no, I'm late, I'm late!" She grabbed Mei's hand and ran towards the classroom. Bronya still silently followed behind, without saying a word.

Usually, in this situation, Bronya would have opened her mouth to mock Kiana, but why didn't she today? Fu Hua felt that something was strange.

But today's purpose was not to monitor them, and Bronya was not the focus of her observation, so Fu Hua didn't pay too much attention. She just happened to appear in front of them and showed the surprised expression that she should have when an "accidental encounter" occurred.

"Kiana, Mei, Bronya. Good morning. What a coincidence, to meet you here."

Kiana was in a hurry to get to class and didn't have the time to pay attention to her class monitor. She casually replied "Good morning" and urged Mei to hurry up before they were late.

Bronya also nodded expressionlessly, and that was considered as her saying hello.

After all, they weren't close.

"These two are so useless!" Mei was annoyed. Could they not be polite! She awkwardly tried to smooth things over for her two companions,

"I remember that the class monitor was always the first one to get to the classroom, so it's rare to see her here! Oh right, have you had breakfast, class monitor? I brought some snacks to eat between classes. If you don't mind, you can have some."

"You're too kind, Mei. I received a mission notice and need to go out. I didn't expect to run into you here. It's such a coincidence."

Fu Hua smiled slightly and greeted them enthusiastically. Then, as if she had remembered something, she acted as if she had suddenly woken up. "Ah, it just so happens that I have some questions I wanted to ask the three of you. Maybe you can provide me with some help."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Kiana, who was beginning to glare at her. She held back her words slightly.

"I will report to Himeko-sensei that this morning, you three were delayed by a mission briefing, so Kiana doesn't need to worry about being punished for being late."

That had been said to perfection.

"Please ask away, Fu Hua." Mei found it strange. What kind of mission that needed to be done outside would require asking them for information?

Unless...

Sure enough, Fu Hua cut straight to the chase—

"I need to go to Nagazora City to carry out an investigation. Since I happened to meet the three of you, I would like to ask you, during the time you were in Nagazora City, did you encounter any special enemies or existences that were like humans but not human?"

Fu Hua wanted to verify the truthfulness of what Lin Wei had said from another angle. Her way of speaking was always straightforward and she often ignored whether or not the other party could handle it.

It was obvious that the other party was having a hard time with it now.

Special enemies, like humans but not human, wasn't that talking about her, the Third Herrscher?

Mei felt uneasy all over, awkwardly digging her toes into the ground, wanting to get angry but afraid that she had misunderstood the other party's intentions.

Kiana didn't care about that. Anyone who dared to upset Mei was looking for death! She opened her mouth to lash out, "What do you mean, you detestable person? Just because you're the class monitor, you think you're all that? If you can't talk, don't talk!"

Kiana, who had never been to school before, couldn't even come up with a good vocabulary to curse with.

Although others might not know, Kiana was the one who knew best that Mei was once crushed by the guilt that came from the deaths of millions of people!

Even though she herself was also one of the victims.

But Mei's identity as the Third Herrscher was also an undeniable fact.

Kiana was truly enraged by Fu Hua's actions of rubbing salt into the wound.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way." Feeling that she had said the wrong thing, Fu Hua quickly and sincerely apologized. This time it was not an act.

"It's like this, I received information saying that someone had previously observed the figure of a girl who looked like a Far East Miko in Nagazora City. But you also know that with Nagazora City's Honkai energy level, it's impossible for any humans to survive. So, they sent me there to investigate. And you are some of the rare survivors of Nagazora City, so I wanted to ask you if you have any similar impressions."

...

St. Freya Academy was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the school gate in the front. A wide and sturdy bridge crossed over a clear lake, connecting the campus to the outside world. Standing on the bridge, one could clearly see the magnificent waterfall in the distance, and the grand cathedral beneath it through the tightly closed school gate.

The plaza between the cathedral and the school gate was incredibly large, with green shade surrounding it, the sound of flowing water, and a fountain in the middle of the plaza that reflected a clear rainbow under the morning sun.

Unfortunately, there was no one to admire this beautiful scenery, Lin Wei sighed. He looked up at the cathedral in the distance, grumbling in his heart.

"Is that Theresa, who's pretending to be an idiot so hard that she might become one, currently hiding inside there reading manga?"

Unfortunately, he didn't know in which direction the teaching building was. Otherwise, his internal monologue could have been made into a movie.

This was the second time that Lin Wei was so close to St. Freya Academy.

He wasn't here to admire the holy land, but to apply for a job.

When Lin Wei had just escaped from Nagazora City and arrived near St. Freya Academy, and before he was eroded by Honkai energy, he had been harboring a lucky thought, wanting to see if he could join St. Freya Academy, and see if he could take the opportunity to latch onto Old Yang, so that he could sneak into the Sea of Quanta and hide there.

He wasn't asking much. He could be a cleaner.

Lin Wei thought, that should just be a job that anyone could do, right? It couldn't be that they really needed him to do the splits mid-air or something?

As a result, the tall office lady, who claimed to be the Principal's secretary, who had come to greet him, looked at him up and down with a strange expression, which made Lin Wei feel confused.

Then, she pulled out a tablet from behind her, tapped it a few times, and handed it to Lin Wei for him to look at the information. Then, she said, "This is one of the main duties of a Schicksal cleaner. If you think you are competent, you can sign the contract right away."

She was surprisingly easy to talk to, but there was no joy.

Lin Wei only glanced at the information before immediately retreating.

Were they crazy? Was the photo on the screen a joke?

Wrecked mechs, parts scattered all over the floor, mountains of debris, some of which were still crackling with sparks, and floor tiles that had been reduced to powder…

Looking at it, there was at least a hundred tons worth of debris,

And you're telling me that was the result of a morning training session?

And he had to clean up all the traces of the battle, and restore everything to its original state?

And he had to put new floor tiles?

And he had to complete everything before noon?

Because the training session in the afternoon also needed to use it?

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

He couldn't do it, he didn't have the ability, goodbye!

Lin Wei ran away in tears. It seemed that the cleaners at Schicksal were not ordinary people either.

Captains, you've worked hard...

Transmigration was not easy, Lin Wei sighed.

Give me a chance, I want to be a good person.

Lin Wei, who was at the gate of St. Freya Academy again, couldn't help but start thinking wildly.

This time, Lin Wei wasn't here to apply for a job. He was a stowaway.

He couldn't move an inch by himself. He needed someone to lead the way, and that person was about to come.

"Squeak."

Following the sound, the tightly closed school gate slowly opened, and a blue figure inside the gate gestured to him.

It really succeeded. Lin Wei finally relaxed the heart that had been hanging ever since he had woken up. Yesterday was not a dream.

He didn't think that this scene was a trap. He was just a weak man who didn't have the strength to even tie up a chicken. If they wanted to catch him, there was no way he could resist. It was unnecessary to go to such great lengths.

I, Lin Wei, was not worthy!

Righteous and confident.JPG

With this mentality of a tough, desperate person, Lin Wei held his head high, puffed out his chest, and strode across the gate.

Fu Hua's lips twitched, as she stared at him expressionlessly.

What kind of person was this...

Fu Hua couldn't understand him.

She simply stopped thinking about it, turned her head and walked away without a word. Lin Wei grinned, he hadn't bet wrong. He felt a great sense of relief, and closely followed behind her.

St. Freya Academy was very large, but there were very few students. Even if the teaching staff and the other people from the Far East Branch were added, the campus still felt empty. Even so, Fu Hua still led Lin Wei down the most secluded path.

Even if they happened to meet someone by chance, Fu Hua would use the Feather of the Azure to conceal Lin Wei's presence.

As requested by Principal Theresa, there were no surveillance facilities in the school, so there was no need to consider avoiding surveillance.

Fu Hua had specifically checked, and there really were none.

Lin Wei followed behind Fu Hua, looking around and admiring the campus that every Captain yearned for.

It was shady with green trees, the air was filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers, it was peaceful and serene, like a paradise.

But it was also the center of a whirlpool.

It was so beautiful...

The more he walked, the more confused he became. The more he looked, the more melancholic he became.

When the illusion descended into reality, when an observer became a person in the picture,

After the initial novelty passed, could you find a place to put your soul?

This campus was truly beautiful, like a garden, like heaven.

It belonged to many people in this world, to Theresa, to Himeko, to Kiana, to Mei, to Bronya, to Fu Hua,

It could even belong to a Captain,

But it did not belong to a passerby from outside of this world, who had fallen into this world.

There was no place here for Lin Wei's soul.

Lin Wei asked himself, if he had another chance, and had the qualifications to choose to leave Chiba Academy and join St. Freya with Kiana and the others, what would happen then?

Could he let go of the pity he felt for Kiana, Mei, and even Himeko?

Lin Wei knew the answer. He couldn't. He would think of a way to change their yet-to-happen, but almost certain, fate.

But Lin Wei knew that with this high and mighty savior mentality, he would only mess up his relationships with them.

People's hearts were sensitive, and they had dignity. They couldn't be offended.

Unsolicited pity and overly deliberate care would only make everything worse, making it difficult for both sides to get off the stage.

In that case, how could this place possibly hold the soul of a transmigrator?

But now,

Lin Wei had extracted himself from the story, and had also experienced the torture of life and death. He had long since let go of this mentality.

He understood that he was just one of the masses and that there was nothing special about him compared to others.

And Fu Hua, whom he had never met, the Kiana and Theresa, and the others whose names he knew, and those whose names he didn't, were all living beings in this world. All of them.

He wasn't here to save them.

On the contrary, he was the one who needed to be saved...

Having put down his arrogance, and regained respect and humility, perhaps he could really have an equal relationship with them?

But the window of opportunity to participate in an honest way was so short. Once it passed, it was gone, so there was no point in thinking about it.

St. Freya. It was a place that could be called a "home," but it wasn't Lin Wei's home.

Lin Wei felt a blockage in his heart and inexplicably wanted to cry.

As a wandering passerby, he always felt particularly lonely in this place that could bring peace to the soul.

Lin Wei collected his mind and threw all the chaotic thoughts to the back of his head. He ridiculed himself fiercely in his heart.

"You can barely protect your own life, and you still dare to think about such profound questions? It seems you're not sick enough, I suggest increasing the intensity..."

He was no longer in the mood to admire the beautiful scenery. Lin Wei cleared all distracting thoughts and refocused his attention on his plans and goals. His expression returned to calm.

He strode to catch up with Fu Hua, even slightly overtaking her, to remind her to quicken her pace.

Fu Hua had actually been observing Lin Wei all along. Although she was walking in front, her "mind's eye," which was invisible and immaterial, had captured all of Lin Wei's expressions, and had also sensed Lin Wei's emotional changes along the way.

From the initial excitement of a country bumpkin in the big city, where everything was new and interesting, to the gradual silence, then sadness, and finally to the abrupt stop where she decisively cut everything off.

It was as if Fu Hua had silently scrutinized Lin Wei's soul.

It was a very vibrant life.

Fu Hua silently evaluated, and slightly increased the score she had given to Lin Wei in her heart.

Although they hadn't said a word to each other today, she felt like he wasn't as annoying as before.

A person with clear emotions was always easier to accept than someone with a manipulative scheming persona.

"You're going the wrong way. It's this way."

Fu Hua rarely spoke, and walked toward the left side of the road.

"Oh, oh." Lin Wei, who was just about to turn right, quickly followed.

Daring to walk ahead of the guide, look at how capable you are!